Azmin asks for Speaker to withdraw ban on 'Baju Melayu'

SHAH ALAM - Selangor State Assembly opposition chief Datuk Seri Mohamed Azmin Ali has urged for Speaker Lau Weng San to withdraw all rules which state Assemblymen could only wear the 'Baju Melayu' set Fridays.

When raising the matter, Azmin said the rules issued by the Selangor State Assembly Speaker in the previous term were invalid and contradicted the meeting rules (88).

“Referring to article (88) when releasing the order, the Speaker must view the common customs of the Commonwealth Nations House of Parliament throughout the course of meeting,” he said.

He said such in the first meeting of the 15th Selangor State Assembly here on Tuesday.

Azmin who is also the Hulu Kelang Assemblyman said the Selangor State Assembly should refer to the attire in Dewan Rakyat as Malaysia had become a commonwealth country.

“Why must we refer to Bangladesh or Pakistan and Fiji, the most appropriate place to refer to should be Malaysia, our own nation.

“I want to refer to Meeting Rule 41(F) stating men must wear national attire or a lounge suit.

“In Parliament the meeting rule has been outlined and reflected this rule in 41(F), even all the Selangor State Meeting Rule on article 41 has been obeyed but 41(F) was excluded,” he said.

He said he hoped the Selangor Speaker would hold on to the constitution and laws to establish the state government and meeting rules.

“I don’t want outside views as if there was a group that is belittling the national attire that should be elevated in dignity and given priority in meetings including the Selangor State Assembly,” he added.

He criticised state assemblymen whose attire did not follow the specificications provided for in the letter sent by the state secretary dated Aug 22.

“Among the matters covered in the letter was the clothing for men, where it specifically stated black lounge suits, white shirt and necktie with a songkok for Muslims.

“But I see a large portion of Assemblymen not following the orders distributed, some were clad in a bright red (coloured) baju Melayu.

"Meanwhile, Lau said regarding the attire for assemblymen, the state assembly will try to follow all the rules set, but that it can also be argued that Selangor was a state with multiple races, religions and cultures," he said

He said the rules would be thoroughly observed and it would be brought to the Standing Rules Committee.

“The rules are not static and must change to follow the course of time,” he added.